Tape cutting machine



June 23, 1945; Q QLSSON 2,379,033

TAPE CUTTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 19, 1943 4 Sheetshee: 1

Fl G.l.

INVENTOR .clgz OLSS N I ATTORNEY June 26, 1945. c, QLSSON 2,379,033

TAPE CUTTING MACHINE Filed Feb-19, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 26, 1945. c. OLSSON TAPE CUTTING MACHINE FildFeb. 19, 1945 P 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR CA O L ssoN ORNEY" June 26, 1945. c. OLS SO N TAPE CUTTING MACHI-NE Filed Feb. 19, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT Carl Olsson, St. Paul, Minn assign'or'to, The United States Bedding Company, St. Paul,

Minn., a corporation of Minnesota ApplioationFebruziryrlI), 1943, Serial No. 476,394 a 10 Claims. (01.: 164 421 Thisinvention relates to-a machine for cuttingtextile fabric r other flexible tape or "strips-of material of a similar nature; into predetermined lengths with great ac'curacy and-rapidity; I

Another object of the invention istcrprovide a cheap and simple machine ot thetyp'e iird-icated rigid arcuatemember:- I2" disposed concentric wherein -variations tape lngths tobe' pr oductedare efiected =with ease:

Other: objects of theinvention will be readily understood from the followingspecificatiom Asuitable' embodimentof the -invention isil1us'-'- tratedtin': theacoompanyin'g drawmgsgwhere'in A li'is a perspective view of aemachine con' structed n1 accordance with the invention;

Eig.-2tisia plan View of the same, the a'ctuating v mechanismthereofsshowrr inFigi 1"being'omitted from illustration. l

a Fig. 1 31 is asfragmentarlyl view in. side elevation, thei tape: carrying: wheelv'ofz the; machine showing;

one; of: the tape: shearing; blades mounted: thereupon in elevation? with a? part a of; the"shearing= bladezridingeupona arigid";- cam mountedzupon the machinexframex I Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevationeof'the taper carryingwheel and; the shear- -bladez actuating camofvthemachine'and-showing also a shearing;blade of: the latter :im end: elevation. I

Fig. 5J5 a-view similar to. Fig: 3 whereinlone'of' thetape shearing devicesfis-sshowm in side elevation with then-shearing blade *disposedat: the inner limit of 'its movements Fig: 6 is-a sVieWE similar itorFigs- Bandit-'1, showing: a: shearing: blade: of thes'ma'chine s at: substantially the outer limiter-its movement.

Fig; 7.-,is airagmentary; vertical-sectional 'view takenon the--1ine'-1-T 0f Fig;2.-

The machine'comprises a suitable base plate I uponvwhich there mounted- 'aisupporw 2' for" anvelectric motor! (not: shown) which drives a sheave 3. I The latter is associatedxwiththesheave' 4 mounted upona shaft 5'=equippedwith a worm in? a suitable casingli. The.:said:w0rm;drives the worm-wheel I which is rigid with a shaft 8.1113011:

which" adisc or wheel 9 is "mounted-for -'actuation thereby; v

The-wheel" 9;is madeipreferablwot a veryilight' materiab orv may: be? rendered very 1 light; by'z-resortf to a spoke structure. In the instance illustrated;

the said wheelzis madeiof wood, and: is equipped withral-jmetal -hub: element I 0 mounted upon; the;

with the'shaft 8: and which isof'a largerfr'adius than the wheel 9; and is idisposed'imaaverticat plane perpendicular to the shaft 8 andclyin'g b'etween'the wheel 9 and the hearing I I. I

Mounted rotatably upon the 'portion of the shaft 8 disposed between -the-'bearing; I I and the hub-element lfllof'the wheelr9; is arsleevezl3erigid or integral with diametrically opposed arms I4: and I5; The arm I4: carries acam-element I6; adjustable longitudinally thereof and havingan, a'rcuate face II'of appreciably smaller radius than. th'e'wheel 9 with which said cam element is .:parallel. The arm I5 of said sleeve I3 is equipped; with" a forked end I8in'wh1ch thei'arcuate'memher I 2 isreceived and is engaged by aset-screw Ill-Which serves to holdthe cam elementrigidl'y in any position towhich it may be adjusted;

The wheel 9 is provided in itscircum-ferentiala face with a' pairof diametrically opposed recesses 20. v

Mounted upon the' wheel 9 adjacent to" the respective-recesses 20, is a pair-of bracketela ments 2| which are L shaped and each of'which presents a substantially radially disposed fiange 22 upon which a shear-blade 23 is pivotally mounted between its ends. The flange"22 in cludes a projectionv extending through 'the remass and which constitutesa companion shear element to the-blade 23.

Springs are suitably engaged with the fianges-22 and-the sheanblades" 23w hold the shearing end portionsof' said bladesnormally at the outer limits of: their movement. The cam: element I6 is disposed in-the path of the other end portions of theshear-blades and act, in an obvious manner, to actuate them to eilect shearing'o'f 'the tape as the'ypa'ss over said camera-- ment'. v

The machine frame'includes suitable meansfor mountin thereupon, removablyi' the' center spool of a roll 25 of tape. In the 'instance'illustrated said means consistsof' a pairof 'bracket -arms 2-T extending parallel with the sha-ft'B but v disposed 1 oppo'siteto'the faceof' the wheel opp'0sed to' that the face of the wheel 9 and is disposed closely proximate to the latter, the said end portion of said guide plate being cut off at an angle of fortyfive degrees to the side flanges thereof with the said angular edge opposed to the direction of rotation of the wheel 9.

The wheel 9 is equipped with a plurality of sharp pins 29 (Fig. 5) adjacent the shear elements 29 and 24 which engage in the tape at substantially its point of discharge at the angular end of the guide plate 28.

Upon mounting a roll of tape in place and disposing its end portion within the guide plate 28 and over the angular edge of the latter with its extremity disposed upon the perimeter of the wheel 9 at a point spaced from both recesses 20, the machine is started. As one of the sets of pins 29 passes the angular'end of the plate 28, it engages the tape end portion and draws the tape over the perimeter of the wheel 9. As said pins 29 and the shear elements 23 and 24 pass over the cam l6, any excess extreme end portion of the tape is cut off; but the pins remain engagedin the body of the tape and continue to cause more of said tape .to be drawn from the roll thereof.

As the next set of pins 29 passes said angular end of the plate 28 it engages in the tape from which the first-named end portion is cut off as the second set of shear elements 23 and 24 passes the cam IS. The cut-01f length is then automatically released from the first-named set of pins 29 by relief of tension exerted upon the cutoff tape length, and thereafter the two shears operate alternately to cut tape lengths from the roll.

The wheel'9 may be equipped with three or four, of the recesses 29 and shears 23 and 24 to cut off proportionately shorter lengths of tape, but in each instance the said recesses 20 must be spaced apart equally.

The purpose of rendering the cam element l6 adjustable about the axis of the wheel 9 is to cause. the tape lengths to be cut off at a point spaced less distantly from the angular edge of the tape-guide than the distance between the shear elements of the wheel, thus to assure tension on the tape as the next set of pins 29 passes into engagement with the tape.

It will be noted, by reference to Fig. 1, that the machine frame includes a, U-shaped part 30 pivotally secured to other frame parts. The middle bar portion 3i of member 30 is disposed parallel with the shaft 8 and in the path of the tapelengths delivered from wheel 9 so that the same bridge said portion 3| and thus are easily picked up by an operator. 'I'he'said member 3'0 maybe swung into any desired position to cause the tapelengths to bridge same in the manner shown in Fig, 1. Such delivery of tape-lengths results from positioning the cam memberifi to effect severings at a point which will effect throw of the tape lengths upon said bar 39.

Preferably, all the tape lengths cut by the machine will be equal to one-half of the circumference of the wheel 9. If the lengths are desired to be increased or decreased, the wheel 9 is replaced by either a larger or. a smaller diameter wheel. 9,. and the cam element I6 is adjusted radially in harmony with such diiferences in diameter. To this end, the channeled guide plate 29 is also rendered adjustable vertically in any suitable manner, but in the instance illustrated, it and the yoke 3| uponwhich it is mounted are replaced by similar yokes of requisite heights to meet requirements incident to different diameter wheels 9.

The guide device 28 causes the passage of tape from the roll onto the face of the wheel 9 to be resisted frictionally to a degree suilicient to impose enough tension on said tape between the said guide device and the pins 29 to maintain the tape engaged with the latter. As the said pins are conical, they become disengaged easily from the tape as soon as said'tension is relieved by severance of the tape and responsively to both gravity and centrifugal force. The latter acts to throw the tape lengths onto the bar II when the latter is properly positioned to receive them.

In Fig. '7 there is shown a wheel or disc 9 equipped with three equally spaced-apart notches and shearing devices for cutting three tape lengths for each revolution of said wheel or disc.

It is obvious, of course, that the notches and shearing means may be spaced apart otherwise than equally, if desired, :to cut a variety of different tape lengths which would have to be assorted by the operator after their discharge from same onto the perimeter of said wheel into the path of said tape engaging means.

2. A machine as defined in claim 1, wherein the tape engaging means comprises a plurality of conical pins adapted to penetrate the tape and wherein means are included for resisting the feed of tape from the source of supply and thereby tensioning the tape for causing the pins to engage therein.

3. A machine as defined in claim 1, wherein the shearing means are spring-held in open position and are actuated against the action of the spring holding means by said cam element.

4. A machine as defined in claim 1 wherein the guide means include means for resisting frictional passage of tape from a source of supply thereof onto the face of the Wheel for cooperating with the tape engaging means to maintain the portion of the tape between the latter and said guide means under tension, and wherein the tape engaging means comprise conical pins adapted to engage in the tape to draw same from said guide between shearing operations and automatically release the tape following each shearing operation and consequent relief of said tension.

5. A structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the shearing means are plural and are equally spaced apart.

. 6. A structure as defined in claim 1 which includes a bar disposed in the path of tape'lengths discharged from the machine to cause the portions of the latter between their ends to rest upon said bar.

'7. A structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the shearing means are plural and equally spaced apart and wherein the cam element is spaced appreciably from the guide means and wherein the tape engaging means comprises conical pin disposed immediately behind theseveral shearing means, relative to the direction of rotation of the wheel and wherein means are included for resisting the feed of tape from the source of supply and thereby tensioning the tape Ior causing the pins to engage therein.

8. A structure as defined in claim 1 which includes a support for a roll of tape and a means for resisting frictionally the withdrawal of tape from the roll, and wherein the wheel is equipped with conical pins adapted to engage automatically in the tape at a point contiguous to the uide means.

9. A machine of the type specified including a wheel having a circumferential face flat in crosssection and adapted to be rotated continuously, a means on said face for engaging tape, a support for a roll of tape, guide means for leading the tape onto the face of the wheel and into the path of said tape engaging means, tape shearing means mounted upon the wheel adjacent to said tape engaging means, a means mounted upon the frame of the machine for actuating said.

shearing means at regular intervals during'rotation ofsaid wheel, said guide means affording frictional resistance to the travel of said tape to cause the same to cooperate with said tape engaging means to maintain the tape under tension between said guide means and said engaging means, the latter adapted to become disengaged from the wheel by relief of said tension following each shearing operation.

10. A machine of the type specified including a wheel having a circumferential face flat in cross-section and adapted to be rotated continuously, a means on said face for engaging the tape, guide means for leading the tape onto the face of the wheel into the path of said enga ing means and including means for frictionally resisting the passage of tape from the roll and thereby maintain tension of tape between said guide means and said tape engaging means, tape shearing means mounted upon the wheel immediately in advance of said tape engaging means, and means rigid with the frame of the machine and disposed in the path of the shearing means for actuating the latter during travel thereof past said actuating means, said engaging means operating to automatically release the tape to effect discharge of a cut-oil length of same following each shearing operation.

CARL OLSSON. 

